Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This is a focused follow-up inspection of Healey Surgery for one area within the key question safe. We found the practice to be good in providing safe services. Overall the practice is rated as good.

The practice was previously inspected on 20 October 2015. The inspection was a comprehensive inspection under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. At that inspection the practice was rated good overall. However, within the key question safe, areas were identified as requiring improvement because the practice was not meeting the legislation at that time:

Regulation 12 Health & Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Safe care and treatment.

• The provider was not operating within its own repeat prescribing policy and procedure or good practice guidance when taking repeat prescription requests over the telephone or issuing repeat prescriptions.

Regulation 19 Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Fit and proper persons employed.

• Not all appropriate recruitment checks had been undertaken prior to employment. For example, not all staff had proof of identification, references, qualifications, registration with the appropriate professional body and the appropriate checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service.

• Not all members of staff acting as chaperones had received a DBS check or had received appropriate training

The practice provided us with an action plan detailing how they were going to make the required

improvements. During the inspection on 7 December 2016 the practice showed us evidence which demonstrated they are now meeting the requirements of Regulation 12 and Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Healey Surgery on 20 October 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed, with the exception of those relating to recruitment checks. Not all appropriate staff had undergone a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service. (DBS)
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance with the exception of the telephone prescription ordering system
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• Patients said they found it difficult to contact the practice using the telephone system however when they did get through they said they found it easy to make an appointment with a GP and that there was continuity of care. Urgent appointments were available the same day but not always with a named GP.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

However there were areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly the provider must

• Ensure recruitment arrangements include all necessary employment checks for all staff
• Ensure staff have received full training appropriate to their role
• Ensure there is a clear policy with regard to repeat prescribing and to operate within own repeat prescribing policy.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice